THE NUMINOUS BEAUTY AWARDS 2017

For our first ever Numinous Beauty Awards, Eunice Lucero reports on the most magical product picks to bewitch and beautify, from your third eye down to your toes …

Marie Kondo must have been a mystic; there’s pure, Venusian magic in beautiful, useful objects that spark joy—or glamour, or confidence, or whatever it is we want to feel at any given moment.

Whether you’re looking for the witchiest fragrance ever, in search of some serious love potions, or simply to live more mindfully in the new year, here are the products that have earned a much-coveted spot on our vanities and our altars …

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:: GO-TO GOOD’UNS :: Gentle, cozy and nurturing, these are our fluffy safety blankets for when life just doesn’t make sense (a.k.a. Mercury is retro).

Drunk Elephant TLC Sukari Babyfacial, $80. Everything you could possibly want in a “facial” treatment, from AHA/BHAs to a veritable Olympic team of acids and antioxidants, that’s also formulated to renew all skin types.

S. & Durga Debaser Eau de Parfum, $175, 50ml. Moody aesthetic notwithstanding, a heart of bergamot, coconut milk, fig and pear stem rounds out to an earthy, addictive fragrance that’s perfect for the city witch on the go.

Rodin Luxury Face Oil

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:: THE UN-STRESSORS :: If a weekend getaway isn’t in the cards anytime soon, having charming little enablers that help you de-stress in the comfort of your own home is probably the next best thing to actual nirvana.

REN & Now to Sleep Pillow Spray, $25. Lavender and frankincense come together for a deeply relaxing scent that promises to ease anxiety and worries at bedtime—which is, in the Now Age, so damn clutch.

doTERRA Peace Reassuring Blend, $37.33 ($28 wholesale), 5ml. One second you’re rubbing this minty blend of vetiver, lavender, ylang ylang and frankincense between your palms and on the soles of your feet; the next, you’re calmer, more collected, and actually, peacefully, sleepy.

The Pines Apothecary Luna Mist, $20, 2oz. Say hello to sweet, relaxed dreams with this pine, lavender and bergamot pillow spray, which encourages a few mistings on both the body and your beddings at nighttime.

Herbivore Calm Bath Salts, $18. Not only does this look way too chic on our bathtub rims, but the vanilla and ylang ylang elevate the now-ubiquitous calming and detoxing properties of Himalayan pink salt crystals, for the last word in total body relaxation.

doTERRA Peace Blend

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:: THE DE-TOXERS :: Never underestimate the power of a good detox. Products infused with energy cleansing Palo Santo or sage help clear out icky low/bad vibes and purge you of all that no longer serves you. Clean slates for 2018, amirite?

Skin Owl Clary Sage Beauty Drops, $30. Simplify your regular serum + moisturizer combo with an oil that does both, while plumping up skin that’s been through its paces. It helps refresh and brighten skin with only two ingredients: organic Argan oil and organic sage.

Yoshimomo Black Charcoal Cleanser, $34, 120ml. This takes our charcoal obsession even further, and its cocktail of willow bark (natural salicylic acid), thyme, lavender and lemon also brightens and calms inflammation, making it a hard-hitting detoxifier. Act fast, though: this famous Etsy cult fave sells out in a flash.

Plantfolk Sacred Space (Palo Santo + White Sage) $18.50, 2oz. Chock-full of revered ingredients renowned for their purification properties and ties with the spirit realm, this tiny powerhouse is an über-practical solution for sageing and clearing your space, whether it be at home or on the go, like your car, locker, or even at work.

Peet Rivko The Rituals Box, $84. Give the gift of fresh, new energy to your loved ones (or yourself!) with this charming, rustic set that includes all you need to detoxify both body and spirit.

Peet Rivko Rituals Box

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:: TIME-SAVERS :: For when you gotta get a move on, get some help from these multitaskers and 2-in-1 heroes that know the meaning of hustle and flow.

Egyptian Magic Cream, $39. The 21 Century answer to medieval snake oil, that acts as a moisturizer, soother, burn healer, makeup primer, and even a lube (!) As the website says, it’s made with olive oil, beeswax, honey and, yes, divine love. Because what’s a stronger healer than that?

The Vintner’s Daugter Active Botanical Serum, $185, 30ml. 100% organic from conscious growers, but with the price tag to match, we so wanted to be skeptical about the hype. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), we can’t, and can only wish this super-serum finds its way to us somehow this year!

The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3%, $7.90. From the baby brand that took Instagram by storm in 2017, and with good reason: its insanely affordable yet high-potency skincare rivals even the most premium of labels. We love layering this slightly heavier serum under our moisturizer for a dewy, winter-proof plumpness.

Kora Organics Noni Glow Face Oil

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:: MULTI-PURPOSE MAGIC :: There are days when it seems like the Universe literally has your back. Now take that synchronicity and bottle it, and you get these super streamlined, multi-purpose products, where everything just flows …

Philosophy Pure Grace Nude Rose Shampoo, Bath & Shower Gel, $25, 16oz. The Early Aughts saw us stocking our shelves with this staple, but what gives it staying power is its sophisticated, straightforward purpose: to get you blissfully clean, with no fuss. (p.s. The latest Nude Rose update to their classic Amazing Grace fragrance is also a study in modern chic.)

Philosophy Pure Grace Nude Rose Shampoo

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:: SKIN-SAVERS :: For when you can’t get over your past skincare sins, like sleeping with your makeup on or skimping on the SPF, these effective—and deeply nourishing—peels and moisturizers can help you along the way to self-forgiveness.

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask, $58. City-weary complexions and clogged pores get a revitalizing fix with this award-winning BHA, 1oo% natural mask, which can be used several times a week to get the refinement you seek.

S.W. Basics Exfoliant, $19.99, 3oz. Those who love a good Pinterest D.I.Y. recipe will embrace the tactile experience from this kitchen-quirky USDA-certified organic exfoliant, which uses oat and organic almond flour to renew skin.

:: LOVE POTIONS :: These glamour spells in a bottle all include rose, the ingredient most rhapsodized in both romantic and occult literature for its seductive, love-enhancing properties.

Euphoria Aphrodisiac Love Tonic, $24. When you ain’t got time to mess around! A few drops of this 1oo% organic love potion (which has hibiscus, rose petals and goji berries, among other ingredients) is meant to stimulate blood circulation, and is best shared with a partner, an hour in advance.

Witch Baby Soap Love Body Scrub, $8. One whiff was all it took for us to obsess over this spreadable body exfoliator, but it’s the ingredient list that blew us away: it’s formulated with roses, apples and poppy seeds, a.k.a. all potent love spell ingredients.

:: MOON BEAUTY :: The age-old archetype of the Divine Feminine, the nurturing Mother Goddess and the mysterious, untapped parts of our psyche, these products help you navigate life’s tides by harnessing the magically intuitive energy of the Moon.

Kypris Moonlight Catalyst Serum, $77. Specifically used at night, this gentler retinoid option is the herbal way to go for those with more sensitive skin that can’t take traditional retinols, but crave similar smooth, refined, luminous results.

Fig & Yarrow Moon Mist, $24. This sleep-inducing mist has lavender and yarrow (a root associated with Cancer, the sign ruled by the Moon) to help relax and nurture before bedtime. Bonus: It has a sweet shimmer reminiscent of moonlight.

Aquarian Soul Lunar Bathing Stones, $12. It’s easy to get lost in Aquarian Soul’s wide mystical offerings, but it’s these clever, practical/magical crystals that earned it those precious three words: “add to cart.”

Aquarian Soul Lunar Bathing Stones

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:: THE PROTECTORS :: Whether from the ravaging effects of UV exposure or against psychic, karmic vampires you meet on the street, protection, as they say, is everything. Underrated but utterly necessary, the name of the game is establishing the right boundaries—via SPF or otherwise.

The Ordinary Serum Foundation, $6.70. Any foundation worth less than our weekday lunch earns a second look; that, plus a high-pigmented formula and lightweight feel, plus SPF 15? Now they’re just showing off.

Sister Spinster Ghosts Essence, $20.Lift the veils of illusion with this magical elixir that helps us see the truth, while smoky quartz and obsidian align and ground in the process. We like using three drops on our pillows at bedtime for an “a-ha!” moment in the morning.

Eunice Lucero is the Editor in Chief and Chief Content Officer for All Things Hair US. A writer, editor, and beauty and style obsessive for over 15 years, she is also a certified astrologer under My Path Astrology, and an empath and intuitive—a combo she attributes to her Cancer + Libra stelliums.

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Eunice Lucero is a beauty editor, pop culture writer and astrologer based in Manhattan. Always an astro-curious child, she finally leaned into the gifts of her natal Sun in the 12th House after repatriating to New York City in 2013. Merging beauty and fashion with astrology and intuitive work is both her passion and calling, and is a topic she’s thrilled to be bringing together in a cohesive, mainstream space. Venus rules her Midheaven—she’s also the Editor in Chief of AllThingsHair.com—she believes #hairispower and relies on lunar energy, kitty cuddles and Brooklyn hip-hop to save the day.
MY MANTRA: Be guiltless about the things you love. // MY STYLE: ’90s suburbia // MY GURU: The Empress, and Patty Boyd // MY SIGN: Water + Air = bubbles! Cancer Sun, Cancer Moon, Leo Rising… plus a boss lady Libra stellium // MY SPIRIT ANIMAL: Recently, snakes // MY HEALING: Always ongoing, with K-Pop on loop.